83
The family he preys on is a tad too unsuspecting to be believable, but the film still hits notes of deep tension. And the cast is superb, especially Àlex Brendemühl as the “Angel of Death” himself.
What are people saying?
What are critics saying?
60
The Hollywood Reporter by Deborah Young
The story-telling is a little too pat to deliver the surprise moments that reveal character or sweep audiences up emotionally. The film remains a creepy story with a lot of morbid fascination, set off by the captivating young Florencia Bado in her first screen role.
63
Slant Magazine by Elise Nakhnikian
In Lucía Puenzo's film, things always feel off balance even as the plot points click all too neatly into place.
58
The A.V. Club by Ignatiy Vishnevetsky
Nestled within the movie’s overtly schematic design are strong performances—namely, newcomer Bado—and a few details about German-Argentinean life which are, frankly, more interesting than the question of Helmut’s past.
91
Portland Oregonian by Marc Mohan
The subtle menace of the would-be geneticist of the Master Race mingles with ordinary pre-teen foreboding to create a riveting cocktail of unease.
75
San Francisco Chronicle by Mick LaSalle
A smart and unsettling atmospheric thriller.
50
There’s just not much of real import in this quasi-historical semi-thriller.
40
Puenzo dramatizes her material with an overcooked sense of import that generates scant suspense.
40
As horror scenarios go, Puenzo’s setup takes the most heavy-handed approach possible.
75
McClatchy-Tribune News Service by Roger Moore
Writer-director Lucia Puenzo, adapting her own historical novel, concocts a disquieting and chilling thriller out of what might be a lost chapter in the infamous career of Nazi Doctor Joseph Mengele.